Counting Bodies Like
by KitsuneGirl911
Summary: Reincarnation, two people starting with vastly different points of view, and the ties that bind them. Slash.
1. One Headlight

Okay, the rest of this story will only be posted if you review and let me know you want it. Every chapter is based on a song, and I don't own those, nor are any exact lyrics in the story. (That I know of anyway… I tried my very best to steer clear of that.) This fanfiction is complete, so all you have to do is ask, and the rest goes up. Thanks for your time.

Disclaimer: I don't own JTHM, Squee, or any of these songs.

This is one of my first times writing Nny, so he's probably OOC.

* * *

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums,

Part One:

One Headlight

* * *

"And in other news… The so-called 'homicidal maniac' that has been terrorizing our town for the past year has finally been brought down-"

Todd sat there stunned, not noticing as his soda slipped out from his hand and clattered to the floor, nor as its contents spilled all over the carpet (which his parents would punish him for later anyway).

It just couldn't be…

The news channel then proceeded to show actual footage of Nny's death via the police. Todd sunk to the floor and rested his forehead against the cold, unfeeling television screen and watched, his heart breaking.

It was.

Todd finally managed to rise, running to his room so he could cry in relative peace.

---

Nny was fighting for his life. A stab here, a slash there, two more down. But it wasn't enough, it was never enough. They kept pouring in, faster than he could kill them. For once in his life he was finally caught for his crimes. And he hated himself for it. He should've known that since he was no longer a waste-lock, there was now no reason to keep him alive. But it was too late for that now. He had to keep on, keep on-

He heard the gunshot as if he were someone else, felt the bullet tear through his middle in a distanced way. He stood absolutely still for a few seconds, not breathing, everyone around him doing the same. And then it hit. He gave a small cough and a large spray of blood left him, the wound on his stomach forming small, yet numerous droplets of crimson on the floor around him. His vision wavered, he dropped his knives to clatter uselessly to the ground at his sides. And then he, Homicidal Maniac for years, was gone. He crumpled to the floor like a fallen leaf just waiting to be crushed underfoot.

Nny was dead. But he had taken down almost half of the swarming cops with him.

---

A long time ago, he lost his only friend.

Not Shmee of course, but Shmee was a part of him anyway.

---

Apparently Nny's body was police evidence for quite some time. When he was finally buried, it was in unhallowed ground, with a simple wooden grave marker. Todd visited when he could. One day, however, the grave, and all traces thereof just up and disappeared inexplicably. So he turned around and walked home. After some time had passed, he began to doubt Nny was ever alive…

---

The sun is dead.

---

_Something had changed overnight, he was sure of it. Not just outwardly, as most of Nny's hair was gone now, but something internal had become different as well. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but he knew it wasn't good. He tried to warn Nny about it, but all he'd talk about was how he was 'free' now. Oh, and this creepy stalker guy… Jimmy, if he remembered correctly. _

But now… Now it didn't matter what he'd said, only what he could've done. Could he have prevented this, told Nny to lay low for awhile? Probably not. But that didn't make him feel any better.

He used to have faith in the police system, but things were different now. They took away the only person who truly wanted the best for him (however roundabout the way he went about it was). Nny always had a smile for him, creepy as it may be. And now he had no one. Sometimes, he wished he would just disappear…

---

Occasionally when he thought back on Nny, he would wonder: if the people here ticked him off so much, why not go live in the mountains, or a cave or something? He would smile then, as a probable reason was that they didn't have brainfreezys or Fiz-Wiz in places like that. Times like this helped 'unbreak' him a little. But only temporarily. Then again, nothing is forever. Not him, not Nny, not any one of them. And he was starting to not care.

---

He was in the middle- of _everything_. But mostly life. He was at a point when he was split on living. What was the point anymore? Everything had changed. But what if it was a good change? He wasn't so sure on these things anymore. There had to be something better…

---

_On clear nights like this, Nny would often decide to make an appearance. So Todd waited up for his inevitable arrival. _

"_Hello Squee." Nny sounded more melancholy then he had been for quite some time, and that made Todd slightly nervous. Then he was talking again._

"_I just-" Nny fished around for words for a moment, "I just want to be cold." Seeing Todd's confused expression, he continued, "Not in the physical sense; emotionally, you know? I don't want to feel anything anymore. No sadness, no anger, no happiness. Just cold." Nny leaned back on the windowsill and looked up at the stars. "Do you think- Do you think I can ever achieve that? It's everything I've ever wanted. To freeze my emotions away so I'd never have to be bothered with anything or anyone again…" He sounded wistful. "As of right now I've got other things to break away from. The wall-" As quick as it started, he was silent again. After a tense pause, Nny turned to leave. "Goodnight Squeegee, and don't let the rabid demon squirrel-dogs bite!" And with that, the window was empty once again. Todd peeked outside, but saw no one, despite the moon's light illuminating everything. _

_But then he heard a squirrel-dog._

---

Older now, and beginning to see people as Nny once did. Vile, uncaring creatures, whose only thought is for themselves. There had to be a path to something better, a place where people weren't so superficial… But he doubted it. His parents had devised a new way to be rid of him, a horrible way. They were sending him to a mental institution. Their own personal 'Final Solution'. His parents would never have to see him again if they didn't want to (which they wouldn't).

Strangely he felt numb, like it wasn't happening to him, but to some other Todd Casil, a pseudo-self of sorts.

He often went over to Nny's old place, the 'heaven house' in order to think. The world was such a mess. He didn't realize it at first, but he started to listen when Shmee talked about burning his house down. In fact, he'd rather like to watch the whole world burn. It was the same everywhere he went; everyone too caught up in their own shallow troubles and joys to notice the plight around them. Why not free them from their fettered lives? He felt like he was becoming one of those people. Like the preps at school, mindless and conforming.

He wondered if he should hate himself.

---

He ran, and ran, and ran until there was nothing left. No pain, no worry, no joy. _"Just cold."_ Nny would be proud, or so he thought. As he ran he reached towards the setting sun, feeling its golden rays caress his skin but doing nothing, merely…running. And then he hit the edge of eternity…

Water rushing below him, all his past behind him, he climbed over the bridge railing and took a deep breath, held it and _jumped_.

Falling, falling, falling onto the wet rocks below.

And his last thought was:

'His death must be killing me.'

Nothing.

---

It was days before they finally found him.

---

Todd Lical woke the next morning and got ready for school, none the wiser.


	2. Secret Separation

Okay, the rest of this story will only be posted if you review and let me know you want it. Every chapter is based on a song, and I don't own those. This fanfiction is complete, so all you have to do is ask, and the rest goes up. Thanks for your time. 

And a special thanks to Yeyana Valentine, without whom this chapter would not have been posted!

Disclaimer: I don't own JTHM, Squee, or any of these songs.

This is one of my first times writing Nny, so he's probably OOC.

* * *

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums,

Part Two:

Secret Separation

* * *

"_We are matching spark and flame…" _

_Todd often wondered, after Nny had said this one night, which one of them was the spark and who was the flame? One hand, Todd thought himself the spark, since he was so young and new to everything (well, he _was_). But then he thought about it some more and noticed that the scary neighbor man could be the spark too, as he was just starting to have an awareness of his feelings (or so he gathered from what was said between them)._

"_Things here are getting too… Too… Close. I think I need to get away for a while, like a bit of a holiday, you know? I thought I was free, but now… Now I think there's something holding me back. I'm not sure I want to be rid of it either, it's all so confusing." Nny paused for a moment, considering his next words. "I think that thing is you." Todd looked surprised at that comment, and not in a good way. Seeing this, Nny continued, "Now don't get me wrong, you seem like such a nice little Squee. It's just that were getting so tangled up in each other; my little nightly visits aren't helping things either." Nny moved to sit on Todd's bed and sighed. _

_Todd thought he looked pretty sad, and that made him sad too. _

"_If you go, I'll be all alone!" Todd cried, leaning forward to hug Nny's arm. Almost instantly he was gently but forcefully pried away, Nny's eyes wild with something akin to fear._

"_No. Not you."_

"_Are you afraid?" _

"_It's all just so…_empty_."_

"_What if it's not though, what if someone could break through?"_

"_That's what I'm afraid of."_

"_Oh…"_

_Todd had never had this close of a friendship with anyone before, mostly because all of his friends had died before he got to know them… But being afraid of it? Never. And he couldn't comprehend why the scary neighbor man would be. As he had just said a few moments ago, it was 'all so confusing'._

"_If you hold me you will certainly cause me pain. I must leave before you burn me…" Todd assumed the scary neighbor man was referring back to the spark and flame comment. Then Todd started to panic, as Nny got up and started to leave through the same window he'd been coming in through for what seemed like years. And there was nothing he could do to stop it. Powerless and speechless. And oh so very empty. Was _this_ what the scary neighbor man had been referring to? This pain from the lack of his presence, his strongest feelings laid bare, torn apart by a simple act. _

_He started to cry, then._

---

And after that day he would never hear from the 'scary neighbor man' again.

---

There was no funeral for the boy on the rocks.

---

Pencil tapping, impossibly bored, surrounded by peers who hated him entirely and for no reason. He'd had that dream again, the one with that man who came to visit his kid dream-self. This had been happening increasingly as of late, which was starting to bother him. But he felt that it was all going to be important, and soon.

The class-bell rang.

"Hey Todd, can you stay after for a moment, I'd like to talk to you about something." Todd's English teacher beckoned him back from the door. Some of his peers snickered and made lewd comments that he tried to ignore.

"What is it?" he asked, after everyone else had left.

"I read your story and I think its good enough for the school art magazine. You know, The Dot?" Todd's eyes lit up.

"Really? That's great!"

"I thought you'd say that." They both smiled, Todd's English teacher waving to him as he finally left, whistling happily.

---

As it turned out, Todd was to share a page with someone's painting that, according to his teacher, "Set off his work perfectly." But he didn't mind, really. After all, he couldn't complain, this was the greatest opportunity he'd ever had to get his writing noticed.

---

A stroke here, a dab there, and a work of art was borne from the depths of his soul onto the canvas before him. There was an appreciative whistle behind him, but he didn't turn around, totally engrossed in his work.

"Your paintings never cease to amaze me. You know that right?"

Alastair sighed in exasperation.

"Yes Jimmy, you tell me this _every day_."

"Oh. I never realized… But hey, encouragement is always good!" Alastair couldn't see, but he assumed that Jimmy was giving him a thumbs-up.

'Not from you it isn't.' he thought to himself, tightening his grip on the paintbrush as he stopped mid-stroke. He had to breathe deeply for several long moments to regain his composure.

"Thank you… Jimmy." Alastair said his name with absolute loathing, but as usual Jimmy was too dense to notice a thing.

"Though there's something I don't get…"

'No surprise there…'

"If your talents are so great, why do you always paint variants of the same thing, over and over? It seems like such a waste-" The next second, Jimmy found himself pinned to the wall, one arm twisted behind his back painfully.

"Don't you _ever_ question this again, you hear me?" Alastair shouted furiously, slamming Jimmy to the wall to emphasize his point. "Don't _ever_ question this…"

Alastair trailed off and released Jimmy, to watch numbly as he rubbed some feeling back into his arm.

"Whoa, geez man, I just asked a question! No need to go apeshit on me! God!"

"Broken… I must be-" Jimmy's anger was short-lived and he turned to being cautiously concerned.

"What's wrong? Hey, you don't look so good; maybe you should see the nurse?"

Alastair mumbled something to the negative, stumbling off in the direction of the door, shrugging off his fan's hand, favoring the wall for support.

Jimmy was left standing with the drying paint, and he finally Understood.

Everything.

---

The abandoned painting was of a sleeping boy, cuddling his stuffed bear, but that wasn't the beauty of it. Standing, no, _looming_ over his bed was a twin horned daemon that seemed to suck the light from its surroundings. Two glowing red eyes and a smiling mouthful of fangs, a rising shadow of pure dark… The paints were mediocre at best, but the picture they created, frightening to most, yet the meaning to be touching picture was sheer perfection.

Alastair painted over it the next day.

After all, he'd made hundreds of copies…

---

When Todd opened his copy of the latest issue of The Dot, he was speechless. There, right next to his poem, was… Was… Dreams. Everything he'd dreamed about for the past month, right there on the paper. No doubt it was even more stunning in person, but to him, it went beyond conventional beauty. Nay, it was the message, the message to _him_.

Only for him.

He got the disconcerting feeling that he was looking into a mirror of his 7-year-old self, back when his memory was so hazy. All he knew was the dreams. And now he knew it was all true, every last bit of it. He felt, rather than saw the tears start to drop onto his hand, and he knew what he had to do.

This senior, Alastair was his name, must have seen the poem. The poem by him, a lowly freshman. They had to meet, they just _had _to. With a purposeful stride, Todd walked towards the courtyard. He would talk to his English teacher to arrange a meeting after school. He would only be glad to, Todd was sure of it.

---

Jimmy wasn't at school the next day, nor the day after that, for which Alastair was supremely grateful. It was the end of the day, right before the last period of class, that he met his Destiny. Walking through the courtyard to get to his next class, the beauty of the moment lost on him until he saw-

"Squeegee?"

---

Flower petals floating through the air made the moment almost picturesque as Todd turned the corner to see-

"Squeegee?"

Todd's eyes widened. He _knew_ that name, knew it from his dreams! And lo- there stood his horned daemon, thoughts rendered into flesh and bone.

"Nny…" With that he rushed forward to envelop the older teen in a fierce hug.

_Almost instantly he was gently but forcefully pried away, Nny's eyes wild with something akin to fear._

The flash of a scene once long ago tore through his mind like lightning and he instantly loosened his grip.

"Oh, I'm so sorry I forgot, I-"

Todd felt himself pulled closer than before to Nny's body, and he looked up at his face in wonder.

"Shh… It's okay now, it's okay…"

"Nny, I-"

Nny smiled brightly down at him.

"You said my name again. This is the second time… I think I like it."

Todd didn't smile back.

"Squee? What is it?"

"Nny, I have to tell you… I died a month ago. How am I alive now? Even if I were to be reincarnated, doesn't that require a new body?"

"I thought so too- Wait, you died?" Nny pulled away slightly to grip Todd's shoulders tightly. "Oh tell me who it was! I swear I'll-"

"Suicide."

Nny blinked.

"You did _what_?" Nny's happy demeanor shifted immediately to enraged. "What if you hadn't come back like I did? What If you had… had… You don't deserve Hell! No, Hell doesn't deserve you! Fuck!" Nny looked off to the sky, stewing over this new bit of information.

"Hey…" Todd started to speak softly, "I made it. And I think I knew I'd make it. I can't live without you Nny…"

Nny calmed down somewhat.

"I know. I shouldn't have left you, but I was running from what I didn't know. I know that now. But I understand those feelings, and I can't live without you either…"

Todd leaned in closer and Nny had to fight back the violent twitching that started up inside him. All his previous instinct would have been to 'immortalize the moment' forever, and end it all: here, _now_. But his new, stronger instincts made him lean in closer as well, their lips barely brushing before-

"Get a room you fags!"

And he tore himself away from the younger boy and glared at the one who dared interrupt his first kiss.

"Who the _fuck_ do you think you are, to criticize me?"

"Huh. Better than you. Fag."

Nny's hands were really twitching for his blades now. But before he could leap at the offending teen and _tear his fucking lungs out_, the bell for class rang and he shoved past him, sneering:

"We'll settle this later."

Todd's warning hand was the only thing that stopped the boy's death that day.

"No Nny, not now…not now that we've just found each other!"

Eventually, after what seemed to Todd like forever, Nny's harsh breathing slowed to normal and he pushed his hair back from his eyes, only to stare deeply into Todd's.

"This won't last forever you know. I can feel it, and I know you can too."

Todd looked downwards.

"I know."

"Come on, I don't think either of us is up for school today, want to head over to my place?"

"Sure."

---

"And remember those stupid stories I used to tell you?"

"Yeah, only they weren't stupid… they were freaking _terrifying_!"

"Ha ha, sorry about that, I just had no clue what else to tell a little kid."

Nny leaned back on the moth-eaten sofa that still resided in the old 'heaven house'.

"I can't believe this dump is still here!" Todd laughed, leaning his head on his 'guardian daemon's' shoulder. Nny had the good grace to look affronted.

"Hey, it may be a dump, but it's _my_ dump."

"I'm just kidding."

"I know."

Todd leaned over and kissed the top of Nny's nose, which obviously tickled somewhat, as he wiggled his nose for a while.

Laughter.

---

He remembered now, that dream he had… He dreamt that he had an invisible summons to this grave, which he was made to dig up and remove all traces from. When he awoke, everything was as he'd left it, except the carpet in front of his fireplace was curled up slightly. How could he not have seen it? How could he not have known? It was his beloved's body he disinterred that night, his beloved's corpse that once rested under these very floors! Now, though, he realized where the body had gone. Nny was reincarnated into Alastair!

Oh, the things Mmy remembered! The first sighting, the endless nights of following and getting lost, all to find his home, all to find _him_. The exalted death at the hands of his immortal beloved! Ah, such beautiful perfection! And all he could do at the time was protest feebly. He really disappointed himself. Now he knew that the true way to earn Nny's love was through a little… friendly persuasion. Ohhh yes… All he had to do was wait for the opportune moment and plan…

Laughter.

---

Laying on the roof now, Todd's fingers softly caressing the skin underneath Nny's shirt. He paused, momentarily, feeling a difference between one spot and the next. Sensing the new purpose in his new boyfriend's questioning hand, Nny sighed.

"I suppose, if you looked, you would know what that was…"

"It's ok if I-" Todd pantomimed lifting his shirt a little, and Nny nodded. Upon seeing the small circular scar, he gasped, all the feelings he had felt when Nny died rushing back to him in a torrent of anguish.

"Hey, don't worry; I won't let it happen again."

Hands shaking, Todd tried to turn him over.

"I have to- I have to see it." Nny gave silent assent by helping out and rolling over to allow Todd access. While the previous scar had been small and inconspicuous, this one looked large and messy with its pale whiteness.

"Oh God…"

"No one ever said death was pretty Squee…"

"I never thought… I just, I'll be with you next time, to protect you. I never want to have to see you die again, you hear me? You can't die!"

Nny sat up and pulled Todd into a tender embrace.

"I know… I know."

---

Looking in the mirror closely, he saw them. Faint white scar lines, which he hadn't noticed before.

"My God it's beautiful… That's right, _my_ God…"

Jimmy picked up the steak knife that he had procured exactly for this auspicious occasion, and began tracing their paths over his skin. It was a slow business, as the blade was fairly dull, but he was tenacious in his endeavor. The first cut was straight up his middle, as if he were on an autopsy table. Then came the holes from the unforgiving steel hooks that had rent his flesh all that time before. Taking a deep breath, he stabbed the knife into his right shoulder, recreating the first wound given to him by his immortal beloved Nny and somehow managing not to howl in pain at the sensation. And for the final touch, he traced over the slightly less noticeable lines on his face from when it was bashed in. By now his hands were shaking from the effort due to pain and blood loss, but upon completing his task he gave a sigh of contentment and pride.

It was done.

Now… Now for the next phase of his grand scheme.

----

When Nny awoke, he tried to hug Todd closer, as they had fallen asleep on the floor the night before. But then he found that he could hardly move. He passed it off at first as being still tired, but as he woke more fully, he realized something was terribly, terribly wrong. He was tied to a chair. His first thought as dumb as it was, was that he didn't have any chairs. So how could he be tied to one? Opening his eyes wider, he saw that there was a dim shape in front of him, pacing around and muttering, occasionally laughing to itself. Then total awareness hit.

"Jimmy."

The aforementioned teen instantly turned his attention to his bound captive.

"Ah, you're awake. Perfect."

Perfect? He was tied to a chair by his crazed stalker, who was now covered in the exact same wounds as _that_ night, which gave him a slightly startling and ghoulish appearance, probably from blood loss. How could any of this be perfect, he wondered. Looking around, Nny saw no sign of Todd.

"What've you done with Todd?" he shouted, frantically.

Jimmy cocked his head to the side in confusion. Then it clicked.

"Oh, you mean that little freshman? He's tied up outside, he won't bother us…" He paused for a second, making Nny slightly anxious. "I wonder, do you remember yet? Do you remember that glorious night?" Jimmy sighed. "Such perfection and all I could do was whine. But now…" He got as close as he could to the object of his affections; Nny could feel his breath ghosting across his face as he spoke. "I remember now Nny! I remember! You killed me, but I know it's just because you wanted to 'immortalize the moment'! Ah! I love you Nny! You'll be mine _always_." His voice went deeper on the last word, giving it an air of finality that, frankly, disturbed Nny beyond all reason.

"The fuck I will!" Nny tried to hop his chair away from Jimmy, but it was futile. Jimmy just followed him anyway, cooing:

"Aww, there's no need to play hard to get my love…" Nny's eyes widened impossibly as Jimmy grew closer still, shuddering in revulsion as he felt Jimmy's tongue sliding across his face. Nny saw that any attempt at either resistance, or to talk Jimmy out of it was pointless. He was going to have to- despite everything his mind was screaming at him- play along.

---

Todd awoke with his face crushed into the dirt, hands tingling from lack of circulation. There was a large rock digging into his side as well, adding to the heightened level of discomfort.

'Well this sucks…' he thought.

Five minutes later he got an idea; why not put that rock in his side to good use? After several more minutes of scraping, the bonds on his arms finally broke, to his relief. He sat up and untied the ropes around his legs; obviously, whoever tied him up wasn't very good at it. But what had happened to Nny? He was probably inside the house, with whoever or _whatever_- never could trust those aliens- had tied him up. He had promised, promised that this wouldn't happen! Now what was he supposed to do? Barging in wasn't an option, what if they had a gun? Everything would be over, that's what. So he sat outside house number 777 and thought.

---

Meanwhile, back inside the 'heaven house', Nny was starting to turn on the charm.

"Oh, Mmy- _Darkness_- I remember now!" Nny said this with the utmost cutest voice he could muster, which for him, was saying a lot. Jimmy smiled ecstatically.

"Yes, yes! I knew you would! Everything? You remember everything?"

Nny nodded enthusiastically.

"_I know you…because I am you_." Nny quoted, bringing an even brighter light into Jimmy's eyes. Jimmy hugged himself and did an odd little spin across the room, just narrowly missing hitting a wall. He stayed lost in his ecstasy for quite some time, making odd little squealing sounds like he was a teenage girl at a concert or something.

"Oh Darkness, are you just going to forget about me?" Nny feigned looking emotionally crushed. Jimmy's eyes widened.

"No! I would never! In fact, I was just thinking about you! (I do that a lot you know…)"

Nny gave a winning smile.

"I believe you." He paused. "But it's kind of awkward to have me tied up while you're walking around free, you know? Not to mention slightly annoying…"

"Oh I wish I could let you go…"

"But…?"

"But I don't want you running away before I tell you everything I have to say. I hope you'll understand."

Nny just sighed, thinking:

'Damn, there went my best shot at getting out of here…' But then he spoke up again.

"I promise to listen to anything you want to say to me; but my friend there, is he okay?"

"Oh, him, sure. See for yourself!" Jimmy then proceeded to go over and open the door.

---

Upon hearing footsteps, Todd immediately stood up and readied himself for the inevitable fight. Fists clenched, he stood in anticipation, watching as the door opened to reveal-

A Nny look alike?

"How the fuck did you get loose?" Before he could do much else, Todd slammed his fist straight into the older (and much taller) teen's face. Their captor was overbalanced by the blow and fell over, holding his now bloody nose. Todd instantly ran inside to free Nny, who was still tied to the chair. However, Todd had never really hit anyone before, so his hand still smarted quite a bit, making it difficult to untie the knots, easy as they were before. He was only partially finished when Jimmy came storming back in, in an angry rage.

He forcefully yanked Todd away from 'his' Nny, pulling him back to the sofa, where there lay the very same knife he'd used to reopen his scars. Jimmy shoved Todd's back up to the wall, holding the knife up to his neck threateningly.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? He's _mine_!" Despite the blade lodged under his throat, Todd was able to reply:

"He doesn't belong to anybody, and if you would just understand that-"

The knife cut a thin red line into his skin.

"You lie." Jimmy hissed angrily at the now even more frightened Todd.

While this was happening Nny had freed himself from the rest of his bonds, and now crept up silently behind Jimmy, meaning to take him out quietly. Instead, Jimmy turned around quickly and reversed his and Todd's positions so that Todd was trapped by Jimmy's arm, the ever present knife still cutting into his neck.

"Why is he so special to you huh? Who _is_ he?"

Nny glared at his stalker.

"I thought you knew everything about me? He was my neighbor. Now, however… he's my _boyfriend_."

Jimmy gave an inarticulate cry of fury.

"That was supposed to be me! _I_ was supposed to be with you! We would be able to kill as one, every night and day! And now you tell me this insignificant nothing is your boyfriend? I won't allow it!" The knife started to sink deeper, and Todd's startled 'squee!' was enough to send Nny past the breaking point.

All at once a ray of pure darkness hit Nny from the depths of the house, and he screamed, but it wasn't in pain or shock. It was because of the raw _power_ that began to course through his veins once again. Jimmy's eyes lit up and he released Todd, only to fall to his knees and look reverently on his now once again 'immortal beloved'. His God was reborn!

"Yes, yes!" he cried, as the process soon finished.

Nny was a waste-lock once again.

A few tense seconds passed, with Nny looking up at the ceiling with his eyes closed, silently. Then he turned his furious gaze upon his 'follower'.

"How _dare_ you! I give you chances to leave, and you stay? Why? Everything you do only serves to speed up your impending doom!" Nny walked over to a certain floorboard and lifted it up to reveal a series of cold, unforgiving steel hooks.

Jimmy's soul died in his chest, as he finally Saw.

"Remember these?" Nny smiled as he saw the recognition dawn in Jimmy's eyes.

"No! Get away! It wasn't supposed to happen like this! It wasn't… I don't want to die again, there's so much left to do-"

Nny's smile turned sour.

"Spare me the details, will you? What, did you think your stalking would enamor me to you so that you could have you wicked way with me unimpeded? Heh. Don't make me laugh." Todd was witnessing one of Nny's murders to protect him again. Something told him this would be more horrible than the first time. "I see you've reopened those wounds I gave you. If you liked it so much, why not just ask? I'd be more than happy to oblige…" The first slash splashed a spray of blood all over Todd's shirt, but Nny was enjoying himself too much to notice. A few more seconds and all the hooks were in place. "Don't think I'm going to let you off easy this time… Oh, no…"

"P-p-please! I'll never bother you again! I just thought we were so alike!"

"And that's precisely why I hate you, you sniveling fool. Didn't you get that last time? Oh wait, I'm sorry, I forgot you were too _dense_!" Nny accentuated his point by ramming one of his blades right back into Jimmy's shoulder. Jimmy's agonized scream was like music to his ears. Nny took this opportunity to look down on his work and sigh, both in contentment and appreciation. "And now," Nny started, "for the grande finale!" He dragged Jimmy's still weakly protesting body down to the depths of his house. Down, to where there stood a large contraption, one he'd never used or seen before, that he suspected had just gotten there today. After tying Jimmy in, he went back upstairs to find Todd. "Come on," he said, "I want you to see this…" His voice was surprisingly soft and gentle for what he was saying. Todd, witness yet _another_ horrid death? He was shocked to feel himself stand, and follow Nny.

'I need to see this.' He thought, knowing he wouldn't be able to rest easy lest he knew for sure. 'But this is so wrong… I can hardly stand it…' They finally arrived in the room where Jimmy was held, blubbering pointless nothings into the emptiness. A series of ropes were connected to Jimmy's torn frame, also attached to a large metal wheel. Todd could picture it, now. The machine would start to spin, drawing the ropes ever tighter, until there was nothing left but an entirely smashed corpse. Nny gestured for him to step closer, and he did, feeling as though he were a marionette being pulled on invisible strings. He knew what was coming next.

"I want _you_ to pull the lever, Squeegee…You."

"A-alright." He had wished his voice wasn't stuttering…

Todd walked forward to a raised platform, wherein lied a large and seemingly innocuous lever. One hand gripping the handle, he turned to his lover's eager face. Nny made a shooing motion, saying:

"Go on!"

And then _It_ happened.

Slowly at first, the wheel spun, and if Jimmy had any delusions of his survival, they were surely crushed now, crushed as his body was becoming. Faster and faster the ropes tightened, and Nny smiled his cruel dark smile.

"He'll have full awareness until the very end, you see."

Todd said nothing, feeling hollow inside.

The End was a long time coming.

There was a sudden surge of blood, as if someone had just wrung out a giant sponge, and Todd turned away.

"Yes…" Nny hissed, "Yes. I have finally be rid myself of him. Finally!" Nny proceeded to do a mad little dance across the room, gleefully splashing in the puddle of Jimmy's blood. He made his way towards Todd, held out his hand, and Todd was powerless to resist. They spun through the night, in endless circles of Divine Madness. It had set them _free_.


	3. Hold On

Thanks to enough reviewers, this story will be posted in its entirety (well, maybe minus one pointless chapter). Thank you for your time.

And a special thanks to Yeyana Valentine and Teya Yashitoda, without whom this chapter would not have been posted!

Disclaimer: I don't own JTHM, Squee, or any of these songs.

This is one of my first times writing Nny, so he's probably OOC.

I apologize for this chapter's shortness… but I'm posting two chapters so nyah.

* * *

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums,

Part Three:

Hold On

* * *

"_Don't rush me just this once… I want to make this moment last… And not like _that_ Squee." Nny frowned, looking somewhat disappointed that Todd thought he'd 'immortalize the moment' by killing him. Where had he gotten that idea anyhow? Oh, yeah… He'd told him one night… About _her_ and the others. How he'd had to have killed them, there was no other way to prolong the rapture when you could only feel for a moment of clarity at a time. But now… Now he could _feel_, and _feel_ whenever he wanted to._

_He wasn't going to let this pass by._

_Todd was fairly overwhelmed. He'd never been a relationship of this kind before, though he knew Nny had come closer than he ever had. Nothing was the same anymore! He'd been used to feelings of fear around Nny, but this… this feeling was far different. Love. Such a strong word. Was that what this was? This desire to be with somebody every second of the day? To see them smile, hear them laugh, creepy as it may be? To have someone that made life worth living, death worth dying? He supposed that was so. Love…_

_Nny was used to emptiness and pretending. This… He was totally unprepared for this. Every previous touch, every almost-kiss, _empty_. Love. He'd thought it was just a word, nothing more. But now he finally saw the truth. It was so much more, so much more to be loved and love in return. Nny had never had as strong a relationship (with someone he didn't hate) as the one he shared with that boy from the life that seemed so long ago. All those people that said they 'loved' him. Feh, what lies. They were empty beings, there was no getting around that. Empty beings of empty touch, empty sentiment. Todd… He was so different. He alone could break through the veil of emptiness and false touch, he alone could _love

_As they sat on the roof and watched the stars trace their ever moving path across the sky, Nny felt like life was perfect. He wanted to remember every feeling, every sight, and every sound. The feel of his fingers entwined with Todd's, the feel of the wind blowing through his hair. The crickets chirping as if in concert merely for them two. The bright stars echoing their love right back at them. Everything._

_Nny didn't want to lose what was happening between them, and he knew Todd felt the same. He looked over at him then, to stare at him and memorize every moonlit detail. Todd turned over too, feeling Nny's gaze, and smiled. Nny smiled back._

_Time had better not try to steal any of this away…_

---

Nny closed his eyes, trying to memorize the moment, the way things were that very minute. Todd's body above his, their soft sighs… Yes, he was allowing the forbidden. The very act which disgusted him so, with anyone else. But with Todd… It was so different, and he was able to enjoy it entirely. Actually, he enjoyed it a little too much. Red lines crisscrossed his lover's back, from his vicious hold and sharp fingernails. However, he gave only what he got. Todd has sunk his teeth into Nny's shoulder, drawing blood, like he were some twisted sort of teen vampire, but Nny didn't mind. In fact, he reveled in every second of it, this love-violence that they created together.

Nny wasn't sure memory was sufficient enough to hold moments like this… If time ever tried to fade this away, he swore he would kill every clock and calendar he saw. But time was so much more than minutes, hours, days… It was an entity. It was everything and nothing at the same time. It was… killing Todd, and they both knew it. Each year older he got, the farther away from life and Nny he became. It would be too much to ask to have him elevated into waste-lock status, and too little to not have him be one. Oh, life and its cruel ironies! But they couldn't have everything. Some day, they wouldn't be able to protect each other, Nny wouldn't be able to return the favor and do his part.

And somehow, they both know the other knew this.


	4. Pet

Thanks to enough reviewers, this story will be posted in its entirety (well, maybe minus one pointless chapter). Thank you for your time.

And a special thanks to Yeyana Valentine and Teya Yashitoda, without whom this chapter would not have been posted!

Disclaimer: I don't own JTHM, Squee, or any of these songs.

This is one of my first times writing Nny, so he's probably OOC.

I apologize for this chapter's shortness… but I'm posting two chapters so nyah. I'm sorry both of these weren't as good, but another good chapter (in my opinion) is on its way shortly.

* * *

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums,

Part Four:

Pet

* * *

_He was having a nightmare._

_Not just any nightmare, the nightmare of _all_ nightmares._

_His very best friend, Shmee, was chasing him through his house… And gaining fast. Normally this wouldn't be cause for concern, but Shmee had developed a mouthful, no, _two_ mouthfuls (one on his stomach) of very, very sharp teeth. Todd was running, running, finally reaching the sanctity of his room. It wasn't sanctified anymore. Wide-mouthed ghouls of shadow plagued the walls, and the once comforting moonlight now became painful, coming from a skull instead. The landscape had changed into a craggy dark wasteland, occasionally hidden from view by the violently fluttering curtains. That wasn't often._

_And then he saw it. A giant eyeball borne of Hell was staring at him, growing larger by the second. Terrified beyond all reason, he dove into his bed, the only place untouched by all this evil. Huddling under the covers and shivering, he could hear Shmee's angry clawing at the door that separated them. _

_Then, there was silence._

_He felt, rather than heard, the soft footsteps coming closer to his bed. He tried very hard not to scream, almost failing, when he felt the light pressure on his bed. The next thing he knew, his protective covers were being drawn back. And then-_

"_Don't fret precious; I'm here…"_

_He _knew_ that voice!_

_Todd opened his eyes just a smidgen, and was strangely relieved to see Nny standing there, a finger at his lips, shushing his fearful whimpers._

_He was having a nightmare. Or so he thought. He wasn't so sure anymore._

"_Go back to sleep…" His words were comforting… but how? How could he sleep knowing all those demonic figures were out there? "Lay your head down, child; I won't let the boogeyman come." Todd realized that the soft pressure he still felt on his bed was one of Nny's larger knives, and oddly, this didn't scare him at all. "Pay no mind to _them_," Nny was saying, gesturing at the walls, "They don't care about you, like _I_ do." Nny absentmindedly brushed a stray lock of hair off Todd's face. "You'll be safe, I won't let them hurt you… Go back to sleep." He was more forceful this time, and Todd lay down immediately, not wishing to incur his rescuer's wrath._

_Todd got the notion that he heard some kind of drums, as if playing a bizarre sort of war dance. It was oddly lulling._

"_What-" He started, only to be cut off._

"_Shh… Keep your head down. Stay with me, safe and ignorant of the evils of the world. I must isolate you… isolate you and save you from yourself." The scratching on the door resumed, making Todd cower once more. Nny looked at the door and the creature behind it with loathing. "The boogeymen are coming…" Then he did something unexpected. Nny scooped Todd up into a crushing hug, softly swaying back and forth to try and lull him to sleep. It worked like a charm. Nny smiled like the Devil getting the holiest soul on this earth._


	5. Come Undone

Thanks to enough reviewers, this story will be posted in its entirety (well, maybe minus one pointless chapter). Thank you for your time.

And a special thanks to Yeyana Valentine and Teya Yashitoda, without whom this chapter would not have been posted!

Disclaimer: I don't own JTHM, Squee, or any of these songs.

This is one of my first times writing Nny, so he's probably OOC.

Note: If you really want to read part five, just e-mail me and I'll send it to you. (Though I doubt anyone will…)

* * *

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums,

Part Six:

Come Undone

* * *

You are mine. A dream made breath and bone. A dream of perfection and hope. He hadn't realized it, but he's been waiting for this situation to show itself for his entire life. I am yours. Everything I have to give, I give only to you.

Now all he had to do was mold Todd into the perfect partner, the perfect being. Nny knew it would take time. Maybe even a little training. But none of that mattered, now that the undoing of Todd Casil (or Lical, take your pick) had begun.

---

"_Who do you need?"_

"_You."_

"…_Who do you… love?"_

"_You, always you."_

_Moments like this were so endearing to Todd, these uncertain questions about anything and everything about their relationship. 'Where do we go from here?' was popular too. The sheer innocence that his 'scary neighbor man' of yore could possess was astounding._

---

Todd felt… odd. In a good way he supposed. He felt free. He hadn't been to school in over a month, and neither had Nny, besides a quick stop to get his paintings (in which several students lost their lives). Ah yes. The murder. It was a part of their daily lives now. Idiotic person makes a joke. Idiotic person is warned. Idiotic person is dispatched, usually in a horribly messy way.

And such was the ritual of their lives.

---

Todd and Nny walked down the street, daring to hold hands in public view. Swinging their entwined fingers back and forth, they were oblivious too all the stares. That is, until they passed a group of tough looking guys.

One of them, obviously the leader, whistled at Nny like he was calling a dog.

"Hey fag, I'll give you five bucks if you suck my dick! You look like the type… You're all cocksuckers." And then he and all his friends laughed obnoxiously.

Who _dared_ insult his beloved? Who would _dare_? Knowing that not only one homicidal maniac was part of the relationship, but two! Todd whipped around, growling angrily,

"You'll regret that long before I'm done with you." Fishing around in his bag, Todd came up with a spork. Shrugging, he turned his attention back to _that_ one. Like lightning, he swung his arm forward, effectively lodging the spork in the man's eye. He shrieked, and Todd scowled, as it sounded just like a little girl. "Not so strong now, are you?" He then proceeded to use the spork to propel the man's eyeball out of its socket and into the street, where it was promptly run over by one of the passing cars, releasing a clear jellylike fluid. Todd's lip curled in disgust. He hadn't developed the same abhorrence of bodily fluids that Nny had, but that was just pathetically stupid. "Pitiful, just pitiful. One would think you'd have fought back by now." And indeed, the man hadn't. "What's your name?"

"D-Derrick! Please don't hurt me anymore, I've learned my lesson! Honest!"

Todd leaned closer, grabbing Derrick's hair to hold his attention.

"I always finish what I start you insignificant maggot! You haven't 'learned your lesson' quite yet… And I only wanted you name so I could add it to the list of people I've killed."

Nny raised an eyebrow.

'He keeps a list?' he thought, slightly amused. Then he broke from his thoughts and resumed watching the show.

Todd kicked Derrick sharply, making the man grunt as the wind was knocked out of him… Repeatedly.

"Ooh, that looked painful." Nny gave a mock wince in 'sympathy'. Then he laughed hysterically at his own joke, mentally, of course.

And then Todd, in a surprising show of strength, rammed the spork- a mere piece of _plastic_- smack dab into Derrick's right lung. Almost immediately the man coughed up a spray of blood, and Nny was reminded of his death. _He gave a small cough and a large spray of blood left him, the wound on his stomach forming small, yet numerous droplets of crimson on the floor around him._ Nny shivered. Suddenly, this wasn't so amusing any more.

Todd was quick to retract the spork, but jammed it right back into Derrick's body the next second, this time straight through his neck. And then again. And again. A never ending string of stab, retrieve, re-stab. Todd was laughing; laughing like he was becoming some sort of madman. And then it was over. Derrick was dead, he would feel no more.

Breathing heavily, Todd turned to smile widely and Nny, glad to have avenged him.

The man's buddies were awestruck, how could this… this _kid_ take out their boss? Not wanting to be next, they all ran like the devil was on their heels.

Nny was awestruck as well. Was _this_ what he wanted? This monster, a replica of himself? No. Todd wasn't a monster. How could he have ever thought that, even for a second? He shook his head to clear his thoughts and grabbed Todd's' proffered hand, walking down the street once more, this time without incident.

---

They were both now able to stay apathetic to the screams, crying, and pleading of their victims. And Todd had even begun to look forward to the doorbell guy's pained shouts. Todd was free, in every sense of the word, and not just a little wild. In fact, Nny's original goal of having Todd be 'wilder than the wind' had been surpassed. Why then, did every time Nny saw Todd's morbidly gleeful face, he wanted to cry?

Nny wasn't sure what he wanted anymore.

---

Todd felt like he was falling apart at the seams, just like Shmee. He felt as though he was losing his humanity bit by bit, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. His heart had been shattered into many tiny pieces that Nny was stealing day by day, night after night.

And he wasn't entirely sure he didn't like it.

---

They fought together like the stars and the moon. A whirling tornado of double-backed blades, cutting a wide swath through the current residents of the café down the street. They could go on forever… The walls were absolutely covered in crimson blood, bringing back to Nny's mind those old days where he'd kept his wall the same way.

The café sufficiently cleared out of the living, they both stepped out into the warming sunshine. Then Todd noticed _it_ and got a strange urge. He gave in, taking up Nny's hand, looking into his questioning eyes before taking one bloodstained finger and licking it clean. He repeated this with the next few digits, never breaking that unwavering eye contact. It was an utterly submissive gesture- funny how he was such with all things except where it really counted. But Nny didn't mind. Was this real? This tender moment of loving question. To Todd, it was as if he were getting magic off of his beloved's fingertips, not the blood of the deserving.

Finished now, he smiled, the blood on his teeth and lips giving him a shocking appearance.

"This will last _forever_! This supreme feeling of _life_!" he shouted, triumphantly.

Todd's words rang something in Nny's mind, but he wasn't sure what it was, until it all came rushing back, from nicer times:

"_This won't last forever you know. I can feel it, and I know you can too."_

_Todd looked downwards._

"_I know."_

How did things degenerate so? Into this mess of villainy and violent love?

Nny felt like he could cry, then.

---

He could see it now. Everything that had happened and everything that would be.

Everything.

And he saw where he went wrong. Oh so very wrong… Why hadn't he seen it sooner? And now it was too late. Too late to fix his mistake.

---

"Squee, let's go somewhere. Tonight."

"Alright, where?"

"Hmm, I was thinking the old Norr Hotel. We could watch the people and the stars go by… Wouldn't that be nice? And perhaps, just perhaps, I'd bring my bow and we could take a few of them out."

Todd laughed gleefully.

"Can we bring the poison tipped arrows? In case they survive?"

Nny smiled, sadly.

"Whatever you want… Whatever you want…"

---

Elevator going up, up and up, higher and higher, all the way to the roof. Todd was looking forward to the night's murderous activities, and Nny… Nny was looking forward to something else. Something he had to do.

"It's beautiful…" Nny commented, upon seeing the sunset's wondrous colors.

"Yeah, but not as beautiful as you."

"Hmm." Nny made a noncommittal noise of acknowledgement. He was distracted by his impending task. Then, he stood up, walking away from Todd, who was still lying down, next to the forgotten bow and arrows. Todd couldn't have stopped him, even had he known what Nny was up to.

Fifteen stories high, Nny jumped.

His last thought:

'I've failed him…'

Then he was nothing more than another corpse. Another statistic.

"_We'll die together, I won't allow anything else. We'll burn like fading stars, burning as we fall, not going out without a fight. Heaven's lights dance for us…"_

And what had ever happened to that? That promise that they would be together in all things, life or death?

"I've failed him…" Todd said, hesitantly, wondering at how large the circle of blood around what was once his lover was. "I've _failed_ him! What went wrong?" He shouted to the world, shouted at its cold apathy. Above, the stars glowed like his burning dreams.

---

Todd carried his beloved's body through the cold light of morning, carried it back to what was once _their_ house. The 'heaven house', 777. He kicked open the door, kneeling to lay Nny down of the moth-eaten sofa, hot angry tears flowing down his face.

Then he screamed, crying out all his mind-breaking anguish.

---

It was his birthday that day.

Happy Birthday.

Happy-fucking-Birthday.

What was so great about it? Another year closer to death.

Just peachy.


	6. Miss Murder

Thanks to enough reviewers, this story will be posted in its entirety (well, maybe minus one pointless chapter). Thank you for your time.

And a special thanks to Yeyana Valentine and Teya Yashitoda, without whom this chapter would not have been posted! (And yes, I'm going to thank you every chapter.)

Disclaimer: I don't own JTHM, Squee, or any of these songs.

Note: The second to last sentence doesn't make much sense, but without it, the chapter doesn't have the same significance… I would have removed it otherwise. Also, I kind of 'stole' a line from Stephen King… See if you can find it! XD

Oh, to clear this up: I'm still posting the story here, it's just this one chapter (number five) that I removed from this site... Because it's realllyyyy baaaaad. But hey, if you want to read it, just e-mail me, or give me your e-mail.

* * *

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums,

Part Seven:

Miss Murder

* * *

Nny was dead. 

And he wasn't quite sure why. Sure, he knew it was a suicide, but _why_?

Nny left behind the stars. He left them all behind.

And for what?

He wasn't sure.

---

A year after Todd had made that fatal jump; Nny took a final jump as well. So, he had died Todd's death. Why shouldn't Todd follow through with _Nny's_ death? Maybe he could make the beauty of their relationship renewed again if he took his life, or rather, had it taken from him. Yes, the perfect plan. And maybe he could have some fun doing it. But he doubted it. He couldn't stop seeing Nny's last moments, his plunge into infinity. Oh how he'd adored him. The beauty of it all, yes, it would last in this downward spiral.

---

Swaths of the dead behind him, terrified victims fleeing before him, and the heavens bowed before his might. With but a withering glare he could stop them in their tracks as they saw their doom reflected in his eyes. However, had he really given them a chance to look into his eyes, their hearts would have broken from the sheer overwhelming sorrow they would find there.

Those mystifying stars, the very same ones they'd contemplated night after night, ceased to twinkle in Todd's mind. Instead he could hear their mournful cries:

They'd been left behind, _he_ had been left behind.

---

Where was the irony, the cruel twist of fate in all this? Because he would bet the few remaining hours of his life on there being one. Maybe their everlasting love wouldn't be so everlasting… Would Nny still love him in the next life? Todd was running out of hope. He was becoming empty, empty of touch, empty of sound. Just a bag of skin and bones, thin as Nny… was. Wasn't there some sort of nirvana promised them eventually? Wasn't there some perfect absence of pain, absence of _anything_? If he ever found that, he'd embrace it and never let go, as he knew Nny would have done the same. But how could someone so tainted with blood as they ever achieve something so great?

---

It was five hours later and almost dark before they took him down.

---

Todd was shot between eyes by a sniper; the police didn't want a repeat of the first 'homicidal maniac' incident. He didn't have time to think a last thought before he fell, just a sigh, like his lost soul escaping through his throat.

---

Both days would live on in infamy. The double attacks against all humanity, the first since the days of the Holocaust.

And that was just fine with them.


	7. Runaway Train

Thanks to enough reviewers, this story will be posted in its entirety (well, maybe minus one pointless chapter). Thank you for your time.

And a special thanks to Yeyana Valentine and Teya Yashitoda, without whom this chapter would not have been posted! (And yes, I'm going to thank you every chapter.)

Disclaimer: I don't own JTHM, Squee, or any of these songs.

Note: This is it. The last chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you all!

* * *

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums,

Part Eight:

Runaway Train

* * *

He was walking. Walking with only his guitar for company. He wished it wasn't like this. He was searching for someone; living on a train to train basis. (And he didn't pay, of course.) He was tired, so tired that sleep wasn't even possible. So he kept walking. Occasionally, on the trains there were other people like him, wanderers with a life all their own. He could never keep his secrets, those of his many lives, but _they _never called him crazy. They understood.

He'd promised himself he wouldn't cry.

He could never keep his promises, it seemed.

There was no one there, no one to help him. Sure, they listened and they _understood_, but they weren't able to help him. No one could. He was in this too far, this never-ending quest for love and liberty. And there was no way out. It seems he'd really done it this time, led himself so far astray that there was no getting back on the tracks.

The next train was coming.

There was no going back. His life was going the wrong way in a right way world. He should've gotten where he was going by now, but where exactly was he headed? Somehow he was stuck in the middle of it all, neither here nor there, living nor dead. He had to remember to smile, these days. Nothing was worthwhile anymore…

How did he get to be so jaded?

Nothing about life was a mystery anymore…

He knew things. Things the rest of the world couldn't even fathom. He'd been to heaven and Hell, and come back to tell the tale… Repeatedly.

Rain.

He turned his face upwards, letting the drops cleanse his soul. He felt as if he were drowning in it, drowning in the clarity of it.

He had a ticket for a runaway train, and he knew it. You couldn't see it, but it was there. A stain on his otherwise immortal soul. Maybe he'd get some rest after all this. Everything was the same, no matter _when_ he was. Night flowed into day, the earth revolved in the heavens, the moon went through its phases… and the stars. Ah, the stars… Dying and being born, absorbing everything around them, burning in the sky.

He couldn't believe in anything but stars.

He'd bought his ticket for the runaway train. From where, he knew exactly. The first night his Destiny broke through his window… And now he was walking again. But not for long.

Next train comin'.

There was a girl.

Wide hat tilted over her eyes, with a green hippie skirt, black tight shirt, and huge black buckled leather boots. She was asleep.

"What took you so long?"

…Or not.

Nothing mattered now. Nothing but _her_.

Love. Such a strong word, but not strong enough. Nothing was ever strong enough.

Strong enough to last through the ages, strong enough to break all bonds.

They laughed, echoing the thunder with their joy.

A little out of touch, some might say a little insane.

It was easier than dealing with the pain anyway.

None of that mattered.

---

Their first son was born in the summer, one year later.

---

Train to train, never looking back, tearing up the track with the enormity of their love. It burnt in their veins, burnt in the stars, their smoldering dreams.

Runaway, but it always seems the same…

---

They would keep getting reincarnated until they got it right, no prejudice, no murder, just them and life.


End file.
